Method and apparatus for maintaining association in wireless LAN system

Abstract

A method and apparatus for maintaining association in a WLAN system are disclosed. The method for performing association by a station (STA) in a wireless LAN (WLAN) system includes: transmitting an association request frame from the station (STA) to an access point (AP); and receiving an association response frame from the access point (AP) in response to the association request frame. If the association request is accepted by the access point (AP), the association response frame includes information regarding an association comeback time.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for performing a Security Association (SA) query procedure by a station (STA) in a wireless LAN (WLAN) system, the method comprising:
 transmitting an association request frame from the STA to an access point (AP); 
 receiving an association response frame from the access point (AP) in response to the association request frame, 
 wherein, if the association request is accepted by the AP, the association response frame includes information regarding an association comeback time, and 
 performing the SA query procedure on the basis of the received association comeback time. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the association comeback time is for a reception time of a SA query request frame of the SA query procedure. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein:
 upon receiving the SA query request frame from the AP, the STA transmits a SA query response frame of the SA query procedure to the AP. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein:
 through reception of the SA query request frame or transmission of the SA query response frame, a valid SA status of the STA is maintained. 
 
     
     
       5. A method for performing a Security Association (SA) query procedure by an access point (AP) in a wireless LAN (WLAN) system, the method comprising:
 receiving an association request frame from a station (STA); 
 transmitting an association response frame to the STA in response to the association request frame, 
 wherein, if the AP accepts the association request, the AP includes an association comeback time in the association response frame, and 
 performing the SA query procedure on the basis of the transmitted association comeback time. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the association comeback time is for a transmission time of a SA query request frame of the SA query procedure. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 receiving a SA query response frame of the SA query procedure from the STA after transmission of the SA query request frame. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein:
 through transmission of the SA query request frame or reception of the SA query response frame, a valid SA status of the STA is maintained. 
 
     
     
       9. A station (STA) device for performing a Security Association (SA) query procedure in a wireless LAN (WLAN) system, the device comprising:
 a transceiver; and 
 a processor configured to transmit an association request frame to an access point (AP) using the transceiver, and to receive an association response frame from the AP in response to the association request frame, 
 wherein, if the association request is accepted by the AP, the association response frame includes information regarding an association comeback time, and 
 wherein the processor is further configured to perform the SA query procedure on the basis of the received association comeback time. 
 
     
     
       10. The device of  claim 9 , wherein the association comeback time is for a reception time of a SA query request frame of the SA query procedure. 
     
     
       11. The device of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to transmit a SA query response frame of the SA query procedure to the AP upon receiving the SA query request frame from the AP. 
     
     
       12. The device of  claim 11 , wherein:
 through reception of the SA query request frame or transmission of the SA query response frame, a valid SA status of the STA is maintained. 
 
     
     
       13. An access point (AP) device for performing a Security Association (SA) query procedure in a wireless LAN (WLAN) system, the device comprising:
 a transceiver; and 
 a processor configured to receive an association request frame from a station (STA) using the transceiver, and to transmit an association response frame to the STA in response to the association request frame using the transceiver, 
 wherein, if the processor accepts the association request, the processor includes an association comeback time in the association response frame, and 
 wherein the processor is further configured to perform the SA query procedure on the basis of the transmitted association comeback time. 
 
     
     
       14. The device of  claim 13 , wherein the association comeback time is for a transmission time of a SA query request frame of the SA query procedure. 
     
     
       15. The device of  claim 14 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive a SA query response frame of the SA query procedure from the STA after transmission of the SA query request frame. 
     
     
       16. The device of  claim 15 , wherein:
 through transmission of the SA query request frame or reception of the SA query response frame, a valid SA status of the STA is maintained.